Lawes Demands More Character from Young English Players
Former captain Courtney Lawes has urged England’s young players to step up in their upcoming match against France, warning them that the situation in the Six Nations is, metaphorically, “kill or be killed”.
In a column, Lawes, who represented his country 105 times, questioned the recovery capacity of some English players, both on and off the field.
“Until now, those youngsters have only known sunshine and rainbows in their international careers. This Six Nations has been a big wake-up call. They are experiencing what rugby is like when the sport that means so much to them isn’t going well. It can crush you and destroy your confidence”.
Courtney Lawes
England will face France this week with the intention of avoiding their worst historical performance in the tournament, after only one victory against Wales in the first match and three consecutive defeats.
Lawes has pointed out that it’s time to identify which players can take on leadership and guide England to overcome adversity.
“… The youngest generation of players coming through, especially in England, is quite protected,” continued the former Northampton player.
Before the tournament, coach Steve Borthwick backed his young players to express themselves, insisting that the game needs superstars.
Lawes also criticized the coaching staff for relying too much on the kicking game and their lack of offensive creativity.
“The more England has disappointed, the more risk-averse Borthwick has become with the game plan,” Lawes stated.
“The quality of attacking rugby in the Premiership is high. Incredible tries are being scored every week from the first phase, from multi-phase play and lineouts. That’s where you have to ask questions. Our ability to score tries has been abysmal. England only want to kick before they’ve even taken a shot.”
